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Bay Area

2002 was a year when San Francisco’s electronic music duo, Matmos, appeared on David Letterman along with pop star Bjork. SFMOMA’s 010101: Art in Technological Times celebrated artists who connect through the Web and who use technology in quirky ways. The DJ, VJ and Web art worlds are now intertwined, because the technical skills required for one are required for all. In many ways, 2002 was the year of the Web Log or as they say now, BLOG. The BLOG has come to epitomize interactivity in music, art and politics on the web. Issues of democracy and first amendment rights aside, many BLOGS are compelling reading. New York Times columnists often quote from political BLOGS, and really if you don’t have a BLOG going you aren’t happening. Some of the year’s best exhibitions championed individual artists. Great shows by Katherine Sherwood, Jim Campbell, and Manuel Ocampo demonstrated both breadth and depth in content, style and execution. At the end of the year, Bay Area Now 3 introduced a new crop of young artists to a wider audience. Both Jack Hanley and Javier Peres showed the strength of having focused, small galleries that are willing to take risks. Unfortunately, as the economy sours, projects like the ambitious Magnes Museum building designed by Daniel Liebeskind are being put on hold. This is the gem to keep an eye on for 2003. A Liebeskind building would be the perfect architectural companion for the Mario Botta’s SFMOMA. I hope the city of San Francisco can see the value in this project and, if necessary, step in to make it happen.